1999 Mazda Mx-5 Miata on 2040-cars

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2020 Mazda CX-5 diesel is still, and perhaps forever, MIA

Halfway through 2020, the most recent Mazda CX-5 diesel you can find anywhere in the U.S. is a 2019 model year — the only one offered so far. With automaker factories beginning their model-year turnovers shortly, CarsDirect did some poking around as to the fate of an oil-burning 2020 CX-5. The outlet couldn't get definitive answers, but a host of secondary evidence suggests the diesel crossover will skip this year, naturally leading to the question of whether the model will skip this market from now on.  Asked in April about the crossover's fate or its arrival, Mazda would only say that "with the current state of the world, many things are tentative." The following month, the automaker's early fleet ordering guide pegged this month as marking the end of CX-5 production, 2021MY crossovers starting down lines in August. Mazda had nothing to say about that information, either. When CarsDirect got in touch again for this latest report, Mazda professed the delay has nothing to do with emissions certification. Then the wall went up again, the only other comment being, "We cannot confirm any details for the CX-5 Diesel at this time."    We're speculating, but at this point, even if Mazda could get 2020MY CX-5 diesels on the lot, why should the automaker bother? The challenges for diesel in general, and this expression of diesel particularly, are clear to everyone; our last post on the CUV, six months ago, was about the five-figure discounts dealers were offering. A quick check on Autotrader at the time of writing shows 45 examples of the 2019 CX-5 diesel available nationwide, plenty of them still priced in the low- to mid-thirties. On Autotrader Canada, which specifies vehicle availability beyond the "1,000+ Results" on the American site, there are 6,135 CX-5s listed nationwide, only 58 of them diesel. Canadian outlet Motor Illustrated wrote, "Mazda recently told us they had a lot of Mercedes-Benz GLE diesel owners and other diesel fans with upscale models trade for a CX-5 diesel." Apparently luxury diesel crossover conquest buyers aren't numerous enough to support a model line. The gasoline versions of the 2020 Mazda CX-5 launched in November last year. It shouldn't take that long for us to find out about the fate of the 2020 CX-5 diesel, or if there will be a 2021 model. Related Video:    

2019 Subaru Forester vs compact SUV rivals: How they compare on paper

We've seen what the 2019 Subaru Forester looks like (pretty much the same). We've found out how much it's going to cost (just a bit more). And also how much bigger and more powerful it'll be (appreciably on both counts). Now it's time to see how all of that compares to its top compact SUV rivals. While you can see the same engine and dimension specs for every compact SUV here, for this comparison featuring the latest 2019 Forester info, we've decided to define "top rivals" as those that the 2018 model was most frequently cross-shopped with. That means the 2018 Honda CR-V, 2018 Toyota RAV4, 2018 Mazda CX-5 and 2018 Nissan Rogue. At the time of this writing, none of their respective manufacturers had released data for 2019 models. We also included info for the 2018 Forester as well. So, without further blather, cue the Spreadsheet-o-Matic 3000. How big are they? The 2019 Forester may look nearly identical to the compact crossover it replaces, but it's nevertheless bigger and heavier. In particular, its wheelbase has increased from being the smallest in the segment to one that's pretty much average. It's a good bet that this gain is the reason rear seat legroom has also increased. Width is also up, but the Forester actually remains the narrowest compact SUV. As for other noteworthy dimensions, the new Forester now has the most maximum cargo capacity of any compact SUV with 76.1 cubic feet. Now, it should be noted, that's without the panoramic sunroof that comes on all but the base model. With it, max capacity shrinks to 70.9 cu-ft. Two points about that. First, Subaru is the only company that calls out this difference, and all the others almost certainly are not measuring with a sunroof. Second, this gives you an idea about how much of "maximum cargo capacity" includes space up high where you're probably not storing much cargo. As such, we included the Forester's biggest number and think it fairly indicates Subaru should carry the "biggest in segment" crown. How do their engines and fuel economy compare? Here's the most important takeaway here: The new Forester is tied for the best fuel economy in the segment, but that's with standard all-wheel drive. Everything else listed above is with front-wheel drive. The 2019 model also gets a welcome injection of power, resulting in the fourth-most base horsepower in the segment (or fifth, if you consider the CR-V technically holds spots 1 and 3).

2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata priced from $24,915

When Ford introduced the 2015 Mustang, it gave us 300 percent more car for about 10 percent more money. Mazda has done even better with the MX-5 Miata: the current roadster starts at $23,970 in Sport trim with a five-speed manual, the smaller, lighter, sharper 2016 model is just under $1,000 more, starting at $24,915 with a six-speed manual. Destination, unchanged, adds $820 to that MSRP. It is divided into the same three tiers of Sport, Club, and Grand Touring but the standard feature set grows, with the departure of that five-speed manual for six-speeders across the board, LED headlights, and extra infotainment functionality. Mazda says it will release more pricing in the future, but so far things just keep looking up for the one of the best little roadsters out there. The press release below has more. Related Video: MAZDA ANNOUNCES STARTING PRICE FOR 2016 MX-5 Fourth-generation MX-5 stays true to affordable convertible sports car roots IRVINE, Calif. (March 30, 2015) – Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today announced that the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata will start at $24,9151 in entry-level Sport trim. Mazda has instilled the latest MX-5 with the pure driving experience that has won worldwide fanfare since the arrival of the first-generation MX-5 in 1989 as a 1990 model. Yet, the fourth-generation MX-5 provides Mazda's latest safety features and technologies and maintains an inflation-adjusted price close to that of the original roadster. The 2016 MX-5 launches this summer and will be available in Sport, Club and Grand Touring trim levels. "As we get closer to the MX-5's summer on-sale date, we're seeing a surge in interest and excitement from enthusiasts and journalists," said Jim O'Sullivan, president and CEO, MNAO. "Already, early MX-5 reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, and we expect the momentum that MX-5 has garnered to continue to build as drivers get behind the wheel of our fourth-generation sports car." Infused with SKYACTIV® TECHNOLOGY and KODO-Soul of Motion design, the 2016 MX-5 is smaller, lighter and more aggressive than its predecessor, with the base MX-5 Sport expected to outperform the sportiest previous road-going variants. However, even with its focus on delivering maximum driving enjoyment, the 2016 MX-5 boasts more creature comforts and a more functional interior than the vehicle it replaces.